


higher than the sun (you shoot me from a gun)

by chymyg (greetingsfrommaars)



Category: NCT (Band), WayV (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - School, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, M/M, kun vs ten: lawful good vs chaotic good, or chaotic neutral?, questionable first impressions, random SM cameos because I can, ten vs sicheng: paragons of grace and chaos, they go to a spy school basically, tiny mentions of other members
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22222423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greetingsfrommaars/pseuds/chymyg
Summary: The new kid at the Neo Institute is a mystery. A wild card. A combat specialist, just like Ten.Ten just wants to make sure he’s up to scratch.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten & Qian Kun, Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	higher than the sun (you shoot me from a gun)

**Author's Note:**

> title from “elevation” by u2

“Qian Kun, I can’t believe you’d betray me like this.”

Honestly, who could have expected it from a trustworthy face like Kun’s? What darkness lurked beneath the surface. Ten will never recover from this upheaval. He tells Kun as much.

Kun scoffs as he trots after Ten down the hallway. “Ten, you know exactly why I did it, and you managed to scheme around me anyway. Don’t make that face at me.”

“I’ll side-eye you as much as I want, traitor.” Ten shoots him a glare to demonstrate.

“That’s not what I meant! Stop giving me that stupid pout!”

“I don’t _pout_!”

“Then what’s that on your face right now, huh?”

“That’s just my face!”

Kun throws his hands up in frustration.

Ten sighs. They’re already getting off topic here. “I trusted you to have my back like a true friend. How could you, Kun?”

“I had to, to keep you from going overboard and overwhelming the poor guy.” Kun still looks resolute and stern. This man has no remorse. Honestly.

Ten sighs again, but with feeling. “It’s almost like you don’t trust me. I’m your best friend! I helped you in your times of need! I, uh” – Ten thinks back for a second – “Hey, I rescued you from all those scary seniors during our ambush tactics exam!”

“And then walked directly into a tripwire, and then picked a fight with five juniors at the same time. I had to rescue _you_.”

“I was a great diversion!” Ten huffs. “But that’s beside the point. You didn’t tell me a new kid’s coming to the Institute! A brand spankin’ new combat specialist!”

“Please don’t say it like that.” Kun sounds pained. Good.

“I had to find out from Taeyong! I had to bribe him with half the chocolate my mom sent me. You see what depths – what new lows you’ve brought me to? My mom put in honest hours of work for that chocolate.”

“I think the foreign diplomats she’s brought down would disagree.”

Ten brushes that off with a wave of his hand. “Whatever. I just might be willing to forgive you, Qian, for your insults, just for today. I’ve got a critical mission to run.”

Kun narrows his eyes at him. “Oh yeah? Like what, ambushing the new kid the second he steps foot on campus? Greeting him with some kind of, what, surprise dislocated shoulder?”

Ten holds his silence, strategically. Thoughtfully. It’s not like he’s trying to fend off Kun or anything.

“You always do this. You always jump right into things without thinking them through.” Kun has had too much comportment training to make dramatic hand motions as he talks, but he probably wants to right now. “You – don’t you want the kid to get a good first impression of the school? Can’t you hold off for once so someone less – less _trigger-happy_ can greet him?”

“Well, I think he deserves a proper greeting, combatant to combatant, you know?” Ten still fondly remembers his own initiation, at the hands of one Lee Taemin. The least Ten can do is to pass on the gesture.

Kun doesn’t know. His answering scowl speaks volumes.

Ten scoffs. “You wouldn’t get it, you – you boring infiltration track major. Leave it to the combatants, the guys who know how to have a good time, alright?”

Kun’s jaw clenches.

“Explain it to me, then,” Kun says, his face maddeningly blank. Well, shoot, the guy’s mad.

That’s the thing about Kun. He’s too good at his infiltration specialization – he can play a piano, cook a five-star meal, fly a plane, play whatever role is needed – but he can also keep a poker face like no one else. That’s why it took Ten so long to figure out something was going on in the first place. It makes Kun an absolute beast at card games, and sussing out liars. Now, he already has his “mitigating Ten antics” face on, or as Yuta likes to call it, his “fussy-kitty-wrangling” face. (Generally, Ten likes to take the opportunity to punch Yuta when he says this.)

In any case, Kun’s face says he means serious business.

But it takes two to tango, and Ten has years of experience giving Kun the slip. Kun has definitely noticed that they’re headed towards the front of the building, and he’s probably recognized the smirk of a trickster or whatever on Ten’s face, but they’re still on the second floor. There’s not much risk that Kun knows where Ten’s going with this. Ten just turns and hurries down the hall, doing his best to ignore his rule-abiding shadow.

“I just think you should give this new kid a chance to settle in before you get – before you start heckling him all the time! Have a little patience, won’t you?” Kun tries to swat at the back of Ten’s head, but loses to Ten’s superior reflexes. “If not that, then at least a little mercy.”

Oh, that’s just classic busybody Qian behavior. Kun didn’t tell him because he thinks Ten should be _polite_ and _patient_ or something boring like that.

“Absolutely not! Taeyong said the guy’s going in for a combat concentration track, so he gets a combat concentration welcome! A friendly, combative greeting. Emphasis on combat.” Ten catches Kun’s grimace and rolls his eyes. “Not everyone can be a master infiltrator with godlike patience, alright? Some of us are dumb combat specialists. Some of us are only good for rushing into fights like reckless idiots, so – so shove off!”

Kun’s face falls. “Ten…”

Whatever he plans to sigh about next gets cut off when they round a corner and almost crash into a high-speed incoming body. Ten twists out of the way at an acrobatic angle. Kun comes to a screeching halt, hands up to steady the other person, but she’s already dodged him expertly.

It’s Sooyoung, a demolitions concentration student, striding out of a weaponry closet.

Phew. Perfect timing.

“Joy! Great to see you!” (Out in the open, Ten uses Sooyoung’s code name. They’re not that close.) “Just wanted to let you know my friendship with Kun has been cancelled. I’m best friends with Johnny Seo now.”

“That’s great,” Sooyoung says. She doesn’t look impressed. “He’ll be devastated to hear that you weren’t best friends already.”

“Ten, you can have more than one best friend at a time,” Kun tries to explain –

“Whoops, sorry, gotta go!” Ten chirps. “Y’know, teachers to dodge, new students to ambush, all that good stuff.”

“Classrooms to blow up,” Sooyoung tacks on with a prim smile. Looking her over again, Ten suddenly realizes that she’s keeping a hand behind her back, probably hiding explosive contraband. What a legend. Ten would give her a medal of honor right here and now.

Kun, on the other hand, looks ready to body-slam a delinquent into the wall. Which delinquent, though, is the question. Both Ten and Sooyoung can probably outrun him.

“Okay, good luck with your explosions!” Ten takes off down the hallway while Kun agonizes over the dilemma of the rule-abiding student: which offense is worse, destruction of school property or destruction of school reputation?

“You too, try to make a good first impression!” Sooyoung calls back. Ten gives her a jaunty salute, and Kun a mocking tongue-waggle.

“Ten Leechaiyapornkul, get back here!” Apparently Kun has made his decision.

Time to run!  
  
  
  
  
“You’re trapped, Ten. Just give it up already.”

“Never! I’ll never surrender to the likes of you!” Ten strikes a defiant pose against the backdrop of the setting sun. If Kun’s going to make a scene in front of half the second floor classrooms and any innocent passers-by on the driveway, well, Ten can put on a _show_.

They remain motionless in their standoff, there on the second-floor balcony, playing the waiting game. Immovable enforcer of the law, meet unstoppable agent of chaos. Ten has faced down the tyrannical forces of propriety and common sense before, and he won’t falter now.

Kun lets out a sigh. It’s a quick sigh, mostly a vigorous nose exhale, so Ten hasn’t completely exhausted Kun’s unparalleled patience yet. He has at least five more minutes before Kun tries to suplex him onto the floor.

“Ten, let’s just… talk about this. Instead of running around, or – or playing cat and mouse, or whatever it is we’re doing.” Kun plants his feet in the doorway, ready to fight. “Let’s try to handle this maturely.”

Ten snorts. “Alright. Then let’s make a deal, between civilized gentlemen.”

Kun fails to restrain his reflexive eye-roll.

“How about this: you’ll stop blocking my way like some kind of basic police barricade, and I’ll listen to whatever _perfectly logical reasoning_ you have, since I’m gracious like that.”

Kun doesn’t move. Ten raises a mocking eyebrow. They stare each other down.

(It’s a joke. Kun would never trust Ten to stay in line on his own. Ten would never give up the chance to run free the second Kun gives him even an inch of leeway.)

Another vigorous exhale. Kun would absolutely be massaging his temples right now, like the old man he is, if he could take his eyes off Ten for a second. “Ten. C’mon. Let’s at least give the guy… something like… a day, alright? He hasn’t even seen the school yet. We can spar, or watch a movie, or something. Doyoung was talking about renting that one rom-com you were kinda into, right? You’ll have plenty of time to haze him later–”

Kun chokes.

Ten’s already long gone.

Having vaulted right over the balcony railing at the sound of voices coming up the driveway, Ten careens through the air and comes to a beautiful landing on the ground. Not a second to waste – he clocks Yuta and a tall, handsome stranger on his right, frozen in shock, and he lunges for the tall glass of water like a leopard for the kill. The kid has good reflexes. He meets Ten’s oncoming fist with an aikido-style redirection, and then they’re rolling on the ground, fists flying.

Yuta shrugs and starts calling out commentary from the side.

This is almost nostalgic somehow.

Ten still remembers the feeling of walking up to the ornate façade of the Institute headquarters for the first time. The school had been a complete mystery then – a calligraphed but unsigned acceptance letter slipped into Ten’s room, unknown figures assessing his movements and abilities from the shadows. He’d heard about it from his mother, of course, but the mile-long reputation just made it even more daunting: the Neo Institute for Culture and Technology, premier institution for students of the highest academic caliber, on first glance, and elaborate front for an elite spy school, on first infiltration. Ten hadn’t been sure what to expect, and then seeing the arching windows and Corinthian columns of the Neo Institute come into view, he had really started to wonder. Could Ten really shine here?

Then Taemin dove right through a first-floor window to aim a flying kick at Ten’s head, and Ten quickly learned the… _hands-on_ educational doctrine of the Institute.

 _Then_ a friendly explosion rocked the building by its foundations, sending excited students running everywhere, and Ten felt right at home.

Now, he tries to put some of that relentless energy into his blows, raining down on this kid on the pavement. His opponent responds in kind with well-placed jabs and a flawless butterfly kick. Ten launches forward with a punch, ready to throw him off balance, but the kid does some ridiculous bendy thing and uses Ten’s momentum against him, dragging him forward and down.

How dare he. Ridiculous bendy things are _Ten’s_ speciality brand.

Ten’s back slams into the ground, and his breath rushes out in a painful squeeze. Before he can scramble up – can even inhale – the kid’s on top of him, holding him down, hands braced on Ten’s shoulders. At least he has the decency not to go for a chokehold.

Ten meets the kid’s eyes and scowls defiantly. On the outside, at least. Honestly, there are worse ways to end up on the ground than jumping a handsome stranger.

There’s the sound of one person clapping. Yuta lets out a whoop and offers the kid a hand up. “So you’ve shut Ten up for thirty seconds already, very good, very good! You’re off to a great start, Winko!”

‘Winko’ ignores the outstretched hand. He shifts off of Ten, keeping an eye out for sudden moves. Yuta’s smile stiffens on his face.

“Well, Winwin, now you know who to avoid, unless you want to rack up detentions – _daily_ detentions – in your first week. This is the Neo Institute’s troublemaker extraordinaire, the bendy noodle man himself, the insufferable –”

“I’m Ten,” Ten cuts in. He puts on his friendly neighborhood bystander smile.

“Winwin.”

So Winko was just another dumb nickname.

Winwin extends a hand. He clasps Ten’s hand with a firm grip, and they shake hands for long enough that Ten starts to get concerned. But then Winwin jerks their joined hands toward himself.

_Oh no you don’t._

This time, Ten’s more than ready. He rolls with Winwin’s trajectory to bowl him over, their positions reversed on the ground. Before he can press his advantage, Winwin fights him off in a flurry of blows, struggles upright, and retreats back on the driveway, fists up at the ready.

“Seriously? Again?” Yuta groans.

They both ignore him, already meeting in a brutal pas de deux on the pavement. For a second, Ten wonders how Winwin would react if he turned it into a sissy slap fight instead. Now that’d be a real test of his temperament.

Someone wrenches Ten away from behind. The ground is even harder against his back, crashing down the second time. A foot comes to rest right over his solar plexus in a wordless threat. _Don’t interfere._

“Mr. Nakamoto,” says a cool voice. (Yuta pales.)

Two paces away, Winwin staggers to his feet, trying to dust off his clothes.

“Mr. Dong.” (Winwin freezes.)

(Ten files away his real surname for later.)

Victoria Song, the legendary combat trainer herself, presses one heel into Ten’s midriff and arches a brow. “Mr. Dong’s mandated orientation started ten minutes ago. A bit unfortunate, isn’t it, that he failed to make an appearance?”

Yuta gulps audibly.

“To the first-floor briefing room.” Victoria bares her teeth in an icy smile. “Now.” As the wayward students scramble away, she keeps her stance atop Ten, the increasing pressure of her foot the only indication she remembers he’s there. Ten holds his breath.

“Constant vigilance, Mr. Lee. You let your guard down to outside interference.”

Ten barely catches himself before he can make a face and offend her.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She’s already striding away, chivvying Yuta and Winwin along with a sharp word. Ten watches as they leave, crossing through the doorway into the world of spies and intrigue.

Well, damn. If Victoria herself came in person, Winwin must really be some hot stuff. Ten gathered that much already, of course, but Victoria’s presence practically guarantees Winwin will get fast-tracked into higher-level combat drills before long. He’ll probably join Ten and Yuta in their cohort within a matter of months. Ten finds himself grinning with anticipation.

Kun’s head appears over the railing above, unleashing a flood of scolding, apparently unimpressed with Ten’s increasing levels of tomfoolery. Who knows why. Ten turns his head away, even though the dismissal will only set Kun off even more. Ten’s got a good spot here, sprawled out on the ground, to take stock of some things. Hand-to-hand techniques, underhanded tactics… attractively fit physiques. Flawless butterfly kicks.

Kun’s hands come into view, too, making frantic motions – Ten has finally broken through his unflappable façade, rejoice – and he’s giving Ten the full brunt of his rant about common sense and good manners, but Ten doesn’t even have half an ear for him.

Ten rakes a clumsy hand through his hair, willing his heartbeat to settle down.

As Winwin stepped over the threshold, into fully joining the Institute… he’d turned and winked at Ten.

Yep, Winwin’s one to keep an eye on, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> \- disclaimer: I have no martial arts experience whatsoever  
> \- I had to google how to spell Ten’s family name. I’m a fake fan lol  
> \- kun assumes that ten getting thrown on his ass will dissuade him from further antics with winwin. he’s dismayed when he realizes it has the opposite effect. ^.^


End file.
